Telephone register and lock-out device.



G. V. RIOHEY.

TELEPHONE REGISTER AND LOCK-OUT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1 067 274 Patented July 15, 1913.

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nnrrnn CHARLES V. IRIOI-IEY. OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A$SIGNOR TO PHONE CALL RECORDER COMF'ANY, OF DELI-HARE.

TELEPHONE REGISTER AND LOCK-OUT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J'u ly 15, 1913.

Application filed November 6, 1912. Serial No. 729,779.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES V. RIOIIEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at l l ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Telephone Register and Looktlut Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

llily invention relates to telephone call register and lockout systems for substations and has particular relation to means of transition from one system to the other, in a combination of two such systems.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on my pending application Serial No. 721,185, the object being to provide for an economical and efficient means for effecting the transition from a call register system to a lockout system in one opera tion.

A further object of the present invention is to so arrange the circuits and apparatus that the transition may be efiected by an un skilled person and at any time, regardless of the condition of the substation circuits and apparatus.

Generally stated, in carrying out my inventi on 1 form a combination system through the use of a combined mechanical and electrical switching device and a special arrangement of circuits, the switching device aforesaid being thereby adapted to simultaneously effect the necessary mechanical and electrical alterations in the apparatus and circuits of the substation equipment to bring about the transition from a lookout to a register system.

Means are provided for locking the switching device and temporarily rendering the character of the system unalterable.

lily invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus in normal condition with the outer casing removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the terminal block 3 of Fig. 1 removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line w s: of Fig. 1' and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 1 is a diagram of the substation circuits and apparatus in normal condition.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 is the mounting frame to Which is rigidly secured a shaft 2 extending therefrom through the terminal block 3. The lever 4 is mounted to turn about the shaft 2 with sufficient friction to hold the lever in its operated position until it is positively restored in the manner hereinafter described. The lever is mounted to turn loosely about the shaft 2 and is normally held in the position shown under tension of the contact spring 6. The levers 4t and 5 are provided at their lower extremities with armatures 7 and 8, respectively, each adapted to be attracted by either of the magnets 9 and 10 for swinging their respective lovers. The upper end of the lever 5 carries an arm 11 which bears against the spring 6 through a tip 12 of insulating material. The spring 6 normally makes contact with the spring 18. When the magnet 9 is energized, the lever 5 is swung over in the direction of the spring 6 causing said spring to disengage from the spring 13. A registering device 14:, such as a Veeder meter, is mounted on the frame 1 and motion is transmitted from the lever 4 to the registering device by means of a coupling or clutch 15 slidably mounted on the lever at and provided with a forked end adapted to engage the crank pin 16 of the registering device. This means of transmission is so arranged that the registering device is actuated to register a call each time the armature 7 is attracted by the magnet 9, and remains in its actuated position until the energization of the restoring magnet 10 which attracts armature 7, swinging the lever 4lback to the normal position and with it the pin 16 through means of the clutch 15.

Two pairs of normally open contact springs 17-18 and 1920 are mounted in a bank on the frame 1. The inner springs 18 and 19 are adapted to be spread apart and into contact with the outer springs 17 and 20, respectively, by a wedging member 21 of insulating material. The wedging member 21 is carried on an arm 22 attached to the lever l so that each time the lever i: is actuated by the magnet 9 the wedge is inserted between the inner springs 18 and 19 causing them to spread and engage the outer springs 17 and 20, respectively.

A square bar 23 is mounted to slide in a socket 24 against the tension of a compression spring 25 interposed between the base of the bar and the bottom of the socket. A.

shank '26 extends from the upper end of the bar through the top of the casing 1 and terminates in an actuating button 27. The bar 23 is normally held in the position shown under tension of the spring 25 and is capable of being moved downwardly until the top of the bar reaches the position indicated in. dotted lines at y. A spring lock 28 is mounted on the upper portion of the casing 1 near the bar and has a spring pressed bolt which bears against one side of the bar and engages the upper end of the bar when it is depressed so as to hold it in its actuated position until the bolt is withdrawn in the usual manner by a suitable key. The clutch 15 is shifted into and out of engagement with the pin 16 with the movement of the bar 23 by means of the forked arm 30 which is rigidly connected to the bar and engages a pin 31 on the clutch. A pair of insulated springs 32 and 33 are mounted on the bar in such manner that they will engage the contacts 34: and respectively, when the bar is in its normal position as shown, and the contacts 35 and 36 respectively, when the bar is in its depressed or actuated position. The contacts 3 1, 35 and 36 are mounted in the terminal block 3 and are provided at their outer ends with suitable connective means. Other binding posts or connective means 3'7 are mounted in the terminal block 3 for purposes of making connection with the various contact springs within the frame. A pair of normally open contact springs 38-39 are mounted on the terminal block 3 and insulated from each other. The spring 39 is bent to form a cam adapted to be engaged by an insulated pin 40 mounted on the bar 23 in such manner that when the bar is pressed downwardly the contactsprings 38-39 are momentarily closed. hen the bar is in its normal position as shown, the clutch 15 is held in engagement with the pin 16 of the register device by the forked arm 30, the springs 32 33 engage the contacts 3%.35 respectively, and the springs 33-39 are opened. Upon the down ward movement of the bar 23, the clutch 15 is carried down out of engagement with the pin 16 by means of the arm 30 and pin 31, and the springs 32-33 are brought into engagement with the contacts 35-36 respectively, the contact springs 38 39 being momentarily closed during the downward movement of the bar.

The springs 33-39 control the circuit of the restoring magnet 10 and the insulated pin 40 is positioned on the bar 23 in such relation to the cam spring 39 that the springs are momentarily closed the moment the bar is started in its downward movement so that the restoration of the registering device will be effected before the clutch 15 disengages the pin 16.

A suitable case, not shown, is

provided to cover the entire instrument excepting the indicating window of the registering device it and the actuating button 27.

Referring to Fig. 1, the substation circuits and apparatus are herein shown in diagram with line wires a1 and 4:2 leading out to the central exchange. The substation is provided with the usual transmitter 43, receiver n, switch hook 15, ringer 46, condenser ti and induction coil tS atS). The registering and lockout mechanism are shown diagrammatically and the various parts are given the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A calling key is provided at the substation for signaling central when the substation is locked against outgoing calls. It consists of a pair of normally closed contacts 51 included in the transmitter circuit and a pair of normally open contacts 52 adapted to be connected across the line through the primary winding of the induction coil when the receiver is off the hook. The switch hook in addition to the contact springs 52-53 for completing the talking circuit, is provided *ith a pair of normally closed contacts 54: included in circuit with the winding of the restoring magnet 10 in which circuit is also included the normally open contact springs 18-19, the whole of said circuit being in bridge of the line 11-42 through the primary winding 18 of the induction coil. The actuating magnet 9 is connected in bridge of the line in series with contacts 51, transmitter 43, contact 53, and primary winding 48. The restoring magnet 10 is also bridged across the line in series with the primary winding 18 and normally open contacts Eli- 33. In the diagram the circuits and apparatus are shown in their normal condition and adapted for use as a call registering system.

The operation of the call registering system is as follows: A subscriber desiring connection raises the receiver 4E4; from the switch hook 15 which completes the line circuit as follows: line wire ll, 48, 55 53, 56, transmitter 43, contacts 51, contact spring 33, contact 35, actuating magnet 9, back over line wire 52. The magnet 9is so wound that it will not become energized in this circuit but is adapted to be energized only by the ringing current. The closure of the line circuit as described signals the operator at the central ottice by means of the usual line signal apparatus, whereupon the operator listens in on the line to ascertain the wants of the calling subscriber. The circuit above traced is the subscribers battery supply circuit and includes the primary winding 48 of the induction coil and the transmitter 13. The operator ascertaining the number wanted, completes the desired connection and when the called party answers,

sends ringing current over the line o the calling substation which current traverses the windings of the actuating magnet 9 over the path previously traced through said magnet. The magnet 9 is thereupon energized and attracts both armature 7 and The attraction of armature 9 opens the contact springs 6-13 which interrupts the receiver circuit, so that the subscriber will not hear the effects of the ringing current. The attraction of armature 7 causes the lever to swing over to the right carrying with it the clutch member which is now in engage ment with the pin 16, thus actuating the registering device 14- to register the call. This movement of the lever 4 also causes the wedging member 21 to be inserted be tween the contact springs 18 19, thus spreading them into engagement with the contact springs 17 and 20 respectively. The lever 7 remains in its actuated position only so long as the magnet 9 remains energized, after which it restores under tension of spring 6, whereby the receiver circuit re- "mains open only so long as the ringing current endures.

The lever 4: however remains in its actuated position after the deenergization of magnet 9 due to the frictional bearing between. it and the shaft 2, and between the wedge 21 and the contact springs 1S--19. The connection of contacts 17-1S partially completes the circuit of restoring magnet 1.0 which circuit includes the contacts 53--56' now opened. by virtue of the receiver being off the hook. The circuits are now in con dition for carrying on the conversation. l Vhen the calling subscriber restores his receiver at the end of the conversation, the switch hook operates to open contact 52-53 56 and close contacts 54, whereupon the restoring circuit is completed, energizing magnet 10 by current over the following path: line wire 41-1, as, 55, contact 54-, contacts 17-48, magnet 10 and back over line wire 4-2. The energization of magnet 10 attracts armature 7, throwing lever 4t and the clutch 15 over to the left, restoring the registering device to normal and in condition to register the next call. The restoration oi the lever 4: to normal position also removes the wedging member 21 from between the contacts 1S-'l9, allowing them to dis l age with the contacts 17-20 respectively. The disengagement of contact springs 17-1S opens the restoring circuit. To change over from the register system to the lockout system, the operating button 97 is pressed downwardly until the spriorg-pressedv bolt 2.) engages the upper edge of the bar This brings the contact springs 32-33 into engagement. with the contacts and 36 respectively, and carries the sliding clutch 15 downwardly out of engagement with the pin 16, the contacts 37-38 being momentarily closed immediately upon the movement of the bar 23. This closure of the contacts 37-38 energizes the restoring magnet 10 in. the tollowing circuit: line wire 11, 48, contacts 37-38, magnet 10, and haul; over line wire 4-2. The magnet 10 upon energization actuatcs the lever l.- to restore the registcring device to normal betore the clutch l 'i moved out of engagement with the pin 16. in case the registering .device should have been in its actuated position at the time ot the actuation oil? the bar s3. This contingency will occur it the bar is depress-ed while the receiver is oil the hook. A party at the substation now atten'ipting to make a call cannot signal the central otlice operator by merely raising the receiver from the book, but must actuate the key which opens the contact 42 and closes the contact thereupon completing a signal circuit which may be traced follows: line wire 41, 4:8, 55, 53, 56, contact 52, contact s nking 32, contact 35, actua ting magnet 92 and back over line wire 42. The operator perceiving the signal. connects with the line to ascertain the wants of the calling party who can hear her ask the number but cannot talk to the operator as the circuit of the transmitter 4-3 is open at contacts 51 and 19--20. Such a condition indicates to the operator that a call is being made by an unauthorized person from a locked out substation, \vhereuit'mn the operator applies ringing current tothe line which traverses the magnet 9 t-hrmlgh the circuit last traced.

The energization of the magnet f operates the levers t and in the same nnuiner as before described, which opens the contacts tl--13 during the continuance of the ringing current and causes the wcdging member to be inserted between the springs 18-1.9, thus causing them to make contact with their mates 17---20 respectively. This time the registering device is not actuated inasmuch as the clutch 15 is out of engagement with the pin 16. The subscriber new releases the key 50 and the transmitter circuit is completed over the following path line wire 4-0, 48, 55, 53, 56, transmitter 43, inn-mall closed contacts 51 of the calling key, contact spring 33, contact 36. contacts ra -2o, and back over lino wire 412. this circuit enables the calling party to echo municate with the operator after which the operator completes the connection with the called subscriber in the usual manner. During conversation the circuits remain in the condition last described and at the end oi: the conversation when the receiver H- .is rc stored to the book 45. the switch hook contacts operate to complete the restoring circuit and restore the lever 53. This circuit may be traced over linc wire il, 418, 35, contacts 5-4:, contacts 17-18, magnet 10, and. back over line wire 42. The restoration of the lever 4 again opens both the restoring circuits and the receiver circuit at the eon The completion of 7 of the bar 23 which permits the bar to return to its normal position under tension of the compression spring which shifts the circuit connections back to normal and throws the clutch 15 into connective position. During the movement of the bar from the actuated to the normal position, the circuit of the restoring magnet 10 is momentarily completed by the closure of contact springs 373S to insure the normal positioning of the register mechanism.

It is to be noted that while my device is particularly adapted for use with the lockout and registering system described, it is not limited thereto but may be used in any system where such a transition in the arrangement of circuits and apparatus is to be effected, and I anticipate all such changes and modifications of the device as may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my I claim and desire to secure by ent is:

1. In a telephone exchange system a lockout and register substation equipment comprising the usual transmitter and receiver circuits, a switching device normally disconnected from the transmitter circuit and adapted to normally disable the same when connected therewith, a register device, electromagnetic mechanism for actuating said devices and said switching device to enable the transmitter circuit, and a manually operated lockout device adapt-ed when actuated to simultaneously disconnect the register device from said mechanism and to connect the switching device in the transmitter circuit.

2. In a telephone exchange system, a sub scribers substation equipment having a switching device normally disconnected from but adapted to be connected in the transmitter circuit to maintain the same normally disabled, a register device, electromagnetic mechanism for actuating said devices the one to enable the transmitter circuit, and the other to register a call, restoring means for said mechanism, and a manually operated lockout device adapted when operated to actuate the restoring means, disconnect the register device from said mechanism, and

invention what Letters Patconnect the switching device in the trans mitter circuit.

3. In a telephone lockout and register system, a subscribers substation equipment, a switching device comprising a pair of normally open contacts adapted to be inserted in the transmitter circuit to disable the same,

a register device, electromagnetic mechanism A for actuating said devices the one to enable the transmitter circuit, and the other to register a call, a clutch normally connecting the mechanism with the register device, a lockout device and clutch shifting means carried thereby for disconnecting the register device from said mechanism, and circuit shifting means associated with the clutch shifting means and adapted to connect said normally open contacts in the transmitter circuit when the clutch is shifted whereby movement of said shifting means act-s both to disconnect the register device and to bring the transmitter circuit under control of the switching device.

4t. In a telephone lockout and register system, a subscribers substation equipment, a switching device comprising a pair of normally open contacts adapted to be closed upon actuation, a register device, electromagnetic mechanism for actuating said devices, restoring means for said mechanism, a clutch normally connecting the mechanism with the register device, clutch shifting means for disconnecting the register device from said mechanism, circuit shifting means for connecting said normally open contacts of the switching device in the transmitter circuit, a common controlling means for actuating said restoring means and said shifting means, and key-controlled means for locking the controlling means against movement.

In a telephone lockout and register system, a subscribers substation equipment, a circuit controlling device normally disconnected from the transmitter circuit and adapted when connected therein to normally maintain the closure thereof but to open the same upon actuation, a register device, mechanism for actuating said devices, aclutch adapted to connect and disconnect the register device and said mechanism, clutch shifting means normally biased to hold the clutch in connective position and adapted when moved against said bias to move the clutch int-o disconnective position, circuit shifting means operable upon actuation of the clutch shifting means to shift the transmitter circuit under the control of said circuit controlling device and a lock for holding the clutch shifting means against said bias.

6. In a telephone exchange system, a lockout and register substation equipment comprising the usual transmitter and receiver circuits, the register and actuating means therefor responsive to ringing current over the line, means for disabling the register, and restoring means for said actuating means operable both upon restoring the receiver and upon the actuation of said disabling means.

7. In a telephone exchange system, a lookout and register substation equipment comprising the usual switch hook transmitter and receiver circuits, a call register device adapted to be actuated through a clutch, shifting means for shifting the clutch into and out of engagement with the register device and actuating means for actuating the register device through said clutch and adapted to be controlled in its return movement both through said switch hook and said shifting means.

8.111 a telephone exchange system, a central oh'lce, a lockout and register substation equipment comprising a circuit controlling device, a register device, mechanism controlled from the central oilice for actuating said devices, a normally open restoring circuit for said mechanism adapted upon closure to cause the mechanism to return to normal, a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect said mechanism and said regis tor device, a sliding bar for operating said clutch biased to close said clutch, circuit shifting means carried by the bar and operable upon actuation of the bar to connect said circuit controlling device into the tunsmitter circuit, and means carried by said bar operable upon actuation thereof to close said restoring circuit.

in testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES V. RICHEY, Witnesses H. H. LownNs'rniN, JAMES H. MARE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

